


I may never sleep tonight

by GingerAndHyde



Category: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Genre: I wrote this in one sitting at 1:00 AM, I've never written for them in this particular stage of life, M/M, The very beginnings of a long-lasting Uttercrush, but I had fun doing so, uni-era boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:15:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23822161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerAndHyde/pseuds/GingerAndHyde
Summary: Gabriel Utterson encounters a visitor in the library at midnight- his classmate, Henry Jekyll. They get to know each other a little better.
Relationships: Henry Jekyll/Gabriel John Utterson
Comments: 6
Kudos: 48





	I may never sleep tonight

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this at one in the morning while listening to “Trade Mistakes” by P!atd, hence the title, and the time at which it was written probably shows. Takes place when our boys were in uni and only just getting to know each other. Anyways, here goes!

It was midnight, and Gabriel Utterson was still in the library.

Halfway convinced that his head would be weighed down to the point of collapse should the bags under his eyes grow any heavier, he groaned internally at the concept of another all-nighter spent poring over his books and notes. But he was a dedicated fellow and had always considered his perseverance a virtue, so he propped his elbows up on the table, massaged his temples, and kept reading. 

The dim lighting, struggling against the darkness that seemed to seep in from the inky windows, was not at all helpful in his efforts to remain alert. 

“Oh, how Henry would jab at me now,” he thought to himself- his thoughts always tended to veer back that particular classmate, for reasons he could not fathom- “I can practically hear him calling on my hypocrisy for advising him against all-nighters at this very moment.”

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

The steady creak of wooden floorboards behind him, as of a person attempting to be stealthy and failing at doing so, alerted Gabriel to the approach of a newcomer. 

“Henry Jekyll, I know that’s you,” he said lightly without turning around. “You’re the only person I know who’d arrive at the library in the dead of night and try to sneak up on his peers when they’re studying.”

“And you’re the only person I’d know who’d recognize someone he’d met just months ago by only their footsteps,” laughed Jekyll, settling into a chair across from Utterson and dropping a heavy brick of a book onto the table. “Your eye- or rather ear- for detail is impeccable, my friend.”

“I thought you’d be with Lanyon tonight,” Gabriel said, somewhat surprised by the unexpected arrival. “You two always seem thick as thieves.”

“Oh, you have no idea,” said Henry with a smile, brushing aside the wayward lock of hair that had a habit of falling across his glasses and into his eyes. “We’re either a perfect team or at each other’s throats. I joke that everyone else is lucky that we’re not always working together; we’d leave everyone else at this school all tossed about in our wake. Except you, of course.”

Gabriel furrowed his brow.

“What do you mean?”

“Well,” Jekyll explained, “You’re seeming to integrate in with us somewhat. I get the sneaking suspicion that the duo is about to become more of a triad.” He kicked back, his book remaining ignored, and gestured to nothing in particular. “We’ll be like the three musketeers, or some other group. It will be wonderful. Besides, Lanyon and I need someone to settle our quarrels, and I can think of no one better suited to the job,” he said airily. 

“So where is Lanyon?”, Gabriel asked, stifling a yawn. 

“Probably sleeping,” Henry speculated. “He prefers to wake up before the sun, and go to bed just after it. Me, I just sleep when I’m done with what I want to do and awaken when there’s something else to undertake.” 

“Early to bed and early to rise...”, Gabriel quoted admonishingly.

“Is of no use, for time is a lie,” Henry rhymed, looking awfully proud of himself for doing so. “Speaking of which, O sage one, why aren’t you following that advice?”

“It’s for the test coming up next week,” Gabriel explained, allowing the yawn to escape.

“How long has it been since you slept?”, Jekyll asked, a note of genuine concern in his voice.

“I could ask you the very same,” said Utterson, before answering: “Two days. But I really must stay awake.” Jekyll leaned forwards. 

“Utterson, I can say with near-certainty that you know the material better than you think you do. You’re very bright. How many times have you read over this?”

“Too many to count.”

“I’ve got it,” Jekyll said, rising from his chair and scooping up the unopened book (psychological philosophy, Utterson noticed with some surprise, quickly reading the title of Bain’s  _ The Senses and the Intellect _ ). “I’ll help you study. I’ll quiz you; I’ve already got the material memorized.” 

“Why are you getting up?”

“You didn’t think I meant to stay indoors on a night like this, did you? Come on, I know exactly what will clear your head.” 

•••

Strolling though the park on a clear spring night was, in fact, far more enjoyable than remaining indoors. As reviewing topics slowly evolved into conversation, Gabriel found himself feeling more relaxed than he could remember in what felt like months. 

“Do you often do this?”, he asked, drawing Jekyll’s gaze away from the not-quite-full moon.

“Hm? Oh. I don’t usually study like this, if that’s what you’re wondering, but I do go on nighttime walks. Walks in the park, no matter what the time of day, always have a wonderful way of easing my nerves.”

“Do your nerves often need easing?” 

“Yes,” Jekyll said quietly, with a new gravity in his tone, “I find that they do.” He again cast his face upwards to the night sky. 

“Well,” Gabriel said, watching the shadows dance across the face of the other student with something like the soft appreciation one might feel towards a certain piece of music, “I’m always here to talk, should your nerves be too bothersome.” 

“That’s very good of you,” murmured Jekyll, shutting his eyes and taking a deep breath. “Hm. Do you smell that?” 

“What?”

“On the breeze. There must be a peony bush around somewhere. They’re one of my favorites. I find them rather calming.”

“Oh. Yes, they are very nice. We’ll have to come see where they’re planted sometime tomorrow.”

“Yes, we will. They have very short blooming lives. Would you have anything occupying your evening tomorrow at around five o’clock?”

Gabriel blinked. 

“You mean...Well, no. I’ll be available.” 

“Excellent. We can meet at the archway. For now, though,” Henry said, again inhaling deeply and seeming to savor the scent of the flowers, “I think it would be best for you to get some sleep. If you would like for me to walk with you, I’d be willing.”

“I think I’ll walk alone,” Gabriel managed, becoming suddenly aware that he felt awfully overheated for a windy spring night. “Thank you for the offer, though.”

“Any time,” Henry said with a crooked smile not quite like any of the beaming grins that Gabriel had seen him wear before. “And feel free to join Lanyon and I, should you ever see the two of us about alone. A third musketeer would be a fine addition.”

•••

Despite his best efforts, Gabriel never did get to sleep that night. He did, however, write down in his journal a reminder to purchase something peony-scented. To alleviate nerves.


End file.
